Dear Resident,

The Caribou Fire & Ambulance Department would like to express sympathy for your property loss because of the fire at your residence.

The emotional trauma of a fire is something you never forget. In the days, weeks and months to come, you face the difficult task of recovering as much of your loss as possible; cleaning, repairing and rebuilding your property; and attempting to get your life back to normal as soon as possible. The following information will help guide you through this difficult period.

Unfortunately, there are people who prey on victims when they are most vulnerable, such as individuals whose home and property have been destroyed by fire. We urge you not to sign any contract, or pay any money, to any individual who says he can "expedite" your insurance claim or provide any other special restoration service. If any individual offering these services approaches you, please contact us at 493-4204 before signing any agreement.

Also do not allow any "inspectors" or "investigators" onto your property unless they have proper identification. We normally do our investigating immediately after the fire is out. If we must do a follow up investigation, we usually do this during normal business hours. Anyone from the Caribou Fire Department who is investigating a fire will be in uniform. Please ask for their identification. Again, if you have any questions about anyone posing as an inspector or investigator, call the Fire Department.

IMMEDIATE AID

INSURANCE

1. Contact your insurance agent immediately after the fire. Your insurance company should be responsible for arranging a board up service to seal your property. The company should also be able to recommend contractors experienced in repairing fire damage.
2. If you do not have fire insurance, or your insurance coverage isn't adequate for your total loss, any uninsured portion of your loss may be deductible from your income tax. You should consult a qualified tax attorney, accountant or the IRS for assistance on claiming fire loss.
3. If you have a camera and / or video recorder, it is a good idea to document your fire damage with still photos and / or a videotape. Do this as soon as possible after the fire, but if the fire struck at night, you may have to wait until daylight to take good quality photos. Do not remove or throw away any damaged goods until an inventory is made. We have our own photographer at the scene. Unfortunately, we cannot take loss documentation photos for you. Our photographer can only take photos for our records.

CASH and SECURITIES REPLACEMENT

1. Damaged or melted coins must be returned to the U.S. Mint. Contact the Mint by calling (215) 597-4983 for details.
2. Damaged currency must be taken to the nearest Federal Reserve Bank. Currency that is at least 50% or more intact is automatically replaced. The Reserve Bank decides if currency that is more than 50% damaged will be replacement. If your currency is more than 50% damaged, please contact the Fire Department to obtain a copy of our fire report for your property before you go to the Reserve Bank. Usually, the Reserve Bank does not replace currency that is more than 50% damaged, but an exception might be made if there is supporting evidence for the cause of the loss.
   
   

   Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago 230 S. LaSalle Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 322-5322

   Federal Reserve Bank of Milwaukee 304 East State Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 276-2323

   
   
   
3. Damaged U.S. Savings Bonds: Go to any bank that sells Savings Bonds and request Public Debt Form 1048. Complete and mail the form to the address indicated. It normally takes two to three months to replace savings bonds. If you have any questions, call 1-800-553-2663.
4. Stocks and Bonds: For information about replacing stock certificates and bonds, contact either the broker that sold the stocks or bonds to you or the company which issued the certificates.
5. Personal Documents: If you receive AFDC or welfare benefits, notify your caseworker if your ID cards were destroyed in the fire.
   
   For other personal documents--birth certificates, marriage license, death certificates, etc.-- contact the City Clerk or County Clerk in the county where the birth, marriage, death, etc. occurred.

PROPERTY REPAIR / RESTORATION

Clothing

4 to 6 tablespoons of tri-sodium phosphate (available from any hardware store, home center or paint supply store. As a substitute, 2 tablespoons of sodium hypochlorite can be used)
1 cup of Lysol or household bleach
1 gallon of water.

Mildew

Walls and Ceilings

Wood Furniture and Fixtures

1. Clean off all mud and dirt.
2. Remove all drawers and allow to dry thoroughly.
3. Scrub with a stiff brush and cleaning solution.
4. Wet woods decays and molds easily. Try to ventilate the room, or if serviceable, run the air conditioner to dry the room. If the furniture can be removed from the room, you can dry it outside, but only in a shaded area. Never place furniture in direct sunlight the wood will warp and twist out of shape.
5. Mold on furniture can be removed with cloth soaked in a mixture of water and kerosene or water and borax.
6. To remove white spots or other stains from wood furniture, rub the area with 4/0 steel wool polishing pads dipped in liquid furniture wash. Then wipe and buff the area with a soft cloth.

Food, Medicine and Beverages

Miscellaneous

1. If your furnace still works, change the filter immediately. You may have to change the filter again after a few days because of air borne soot, dirt and other contaminants.
2. Clean and protect chrome trim with Vaseline or other light oil.
3. Wash plants with clear water; take care to clean both sides of the leaves and the stem.
4. Do not operate any VCR, video equipment, TV, stereo, computer or electrical appliance until it has been checked and cleaned. If a dry powder fire extinguisher was used and there is a film on any electrical or electronic unit, vacuum the powder off as soon as possible. Prolonged contact with the dry powder chemical can ruin electrical equipment.
5. If your electrical power was turned off for more than a few hours, discard all contents of your refrigerator and freezer. Until the power is restored, use a roll of paper towels or a wad of newspapers to keep the refrigerator and / or freezer doors open and allow air to circulate. If the doors are shut and the unit is not operating, permanent odors will set inside the units.
6. If the weather is below freezing and you cannot heat your house, pour anti-freeze into toilet bowls, sinks and tubs. Also drain the entire water system in the house. If you have hot water heating, have a plumber drain the system as soon as possible.
7. If your pets have been exposed to smoke, fire or heat, have them examined by a veterinarian.

Water Damage

1. Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping, pumping, vacuuming with a wet vac, etc.
2. Remove and elevate wet upholstery cushions to allow even drying on all surfaces.
3. Place aluminum foil, saucers or wood blocks between furniture legs and carpets.
4. Linoleum must be treated delicately. If water gets under linoleum, it can cause odors and warp the sub floor. Check with an experienced flooring dealer for assistance on treating your linoleum.
5. Rugs should be removed, cleaned and dried. Carpets should be vacuumed with a wet vac to remove as much moisture as possible, then clean and dry the carpets. If there is as odor after the carpets have been cleaned and dried, the carpets probably have to be pulled and the padding replaced.
6. In the summer, if you have air conditioning, run the A/C as much as possible to promote drying. In the winter, open the windows.
7. Remove paintings and other artwork and store them in a safe place until all repair / restoration work is completed.
8. Open suitcases and other luggage to dry, place in sunlight if possible.
9. Do not go into any room where the ceiling is sagging.

DON'Ts

1. Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Dry them as soon as possible. Hang furs and leather goods separately at room temperatures. If fur or leather goods have serious smoke damage, consult an expert on the best way to clean and remove the damage.
2. Don't leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpets or floors.
3. Don't use a household vacuum to pick up water, only use a shop vac or wet vac.
4. Don't operate any electrical equipment when you are standing on a wet surface.

COLD WEATHER

VANDALISM and THEFT

FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY

Roy E. Woods, Chief
Caribou Fire & Ambulance Department